This review was made possible by screeners of Episodes 1-8 of Sweet Tooth Season 2 provided by Netflix for review purposes. Sweet Tooth Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.
The first season of Sweet Tooth saw Jeff Lemire’s beloved series about a pandemic and a little deer boy cheerfully reimagined in a much more light-hearted action-adventure story compared to its comic book predecessor. A cliffhanger ending to its first season left us in the clutches of the dangerous General Abbot and his army of Last Men, with Gus and his gang scattered across Wyoming and the pursuit of a cure, leaving the group of captive hybrid children on borrowed time.
The following review does contain mild spoilers. You have been warned.
Unfamiliar Territory
Season 1 left us a very familiar point to fans of the original comic, with Gus having fallen right into the trap of a so-called “sanctuary” for hybrid children like himself; instead, in this case, he wasn’t intentionally brought there. Some fans of the source material may not want to hear it, but season 2 of Sweet Tooth veers off the path of its pre-established material almost entirely. This isn’t a bad thing; if it works, it works. Changes to material can be good, especially for a story like this, where it was originally a much more mature story that was much more supernatural and gritty at its core and less whimsical. I, for one, think the changes here work, as the team was able to take quite a few notable characters like Becky and Dr.Singh and build upon foundations made by the comic and reinvent them, making them much different characters that find a new life in this much more lighthearted adaptation. It makes them much more enjoyable characters and much less depressing and gives fans completely new perspectives to see this world through and better understand what’s at stake.
One change in particular that I quite enjoyed had to do with the other hybrid children Gus meets upon being locked up in the sanctuary. The comic isn’t so cordial, with a character saying the others are “ignorant” due to their hybrid genealogy not allowing them to develop the ability to speak. Season 2 introduces a group of hybrids that are fully fluent in American Sign Language, with each and every hybrid child that isn’t able to speak, being able to sign to each other, taught to them by their adoptive mother, Aimee. It’s a touch that once again, elevates aspects of the original story while also allowing for some great representation.
Weird Deer Sh*t
It doesn’t feel right to fault an adaptation simply on the basis of making a change that the creatives believe will truly elevate the story, and I can feel that removing some of the supernatural aspects of the story may streamline things a bit more and make it more “kid friendly”. However, for those who know, removing this part of the story, and more importantly, almost entirely taking away that part of Gus feels like a disservice to the story. Season 2 explores this a bit more and does let you know that we’re still heading into a similar direction as the comics but, for a fan of the source material it feels a bit wrong to remove Native influence from the story and take away the visions that Gus got so often in the comics that helped build up suspense and wonder about his, the other hybrids, and the plagues origins. This is another example of the series softening itself, as Gus’s father is driven mad by the visions he also receives before dying of the sick, a similar fate in both cases.
You could argue that the series and the creatives behind it may not have felt comfortable portraying Native culture as harshly as the comics did, but like the show they definitely could’ve softened how intense the supernatural aspects can be at times. Another good thing to do, and as we head into the direction which inevitably will have to explore it, get some Inuit talent behind the scenes, let them craft and guide this for you to properly tell this story in a fulfilling and more importantly, respectful manner.
Serving Time for No Crime
As mentioned earlier, one of the ways this story elevates its source material is by shifting from just one perspective. With Gus and the other hybrids locked up, just spending time with them would’ve obviously led to a boring time, but instead, we’re given multiple perspectives of the story with Becky on her own path and Jepperd with Aimee, hatching a plan to break the kids out. This season balances all three stories well, each one fulfilling in its own right while expanding on what we knew about this series. Each episode is well-paced and engaging with multiple plot lines that all converge into one satisfyingly, and when you think you’re down, they’ve got dessert waiting for you.
We’re introduced to a vibrant array of new hybrids this season, with each one having its own little talents and quirks. One issue is that there are so many that not all of them really get their time to shine, but when one is given the spotlight, they make sure to use their time wisely. While a lot of the hybrids are done quite simply through ears, tails, and noses, others the makeup and effects team took to the next level. Some really great prosthetic work this season, specifically with the character Earl, an elephant boy that some eagle-eyed fans will quickly notice as the hybrid from the sequel comic ‘Sweet Tooth: The Return’, but that is a whole other conversation. Earl is brought to life quite well and looks great, and moves quite well.
Of course, Christian Convery and Naledi Murray are the best of the bunch, Convery as the titular character, Sweet Tooth, aka Gus, gives yet again a chipper and upbeat performance as the one and only deer hybrid, a bit of a departure from the one we knew, but of course, a welcome take. Murray just feels like a born leader, especially in this role as Wendy. She just gives that “Mom’s gone and she put me in charge” energy that works well as she just meshes with the rest of the hybrid kids so well, you can really feel that older sibling energy from her.
Last Men Walk Amongst Us
While we never really got up close and personal with him before, Neil Sandilands returns as the maniacal General Abbot, leader of the Last Men, a militia full of the worst people you knew from high school. Sandilands Abbot feels almost condescendingly hokey; he talks to you as sweetly as his impatient manner lets him before fully berating you for everything you didn’t do to perfection. He is a force to be reckoned with, relentless as hell and is going to hunt you to the ends of what’s left of Earth. This version however is a bit less cruel than his comic counterpart, if you can believe it, with aspects of his character seemingly being brushed onto an original character created for the series, comic fans are going to meet quite a bit of these original ideas and scratch their heads a bit, especially as the season wraps up, but we’ll have to wait and see if it plays out, this is Netflix after all.
‘Sweet Tooth’ Season 2 – Final Thoughts
Sweet Tooth Season 2, although a vast departure from the comic, is a pleasant time that finds new ways to add to an already fascinating story. Although at times it can feel a tad bit crowded, and feel like it’s missing a bell or whistle or two, what’s brought to life and elevated works quite well and leads to a satisfying ending that will surely have fans anxiously waiting for what’s to come in a potential third season.
Sweet Tooth Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix, with all episodes available at launch. Check out the trailer below!
